I know "Real" food may not seem like
as much fun as the sugary, chemically, DIY recipes out there on the
internet. This is why REAL Food Friday is so unique. This is the place
to share your unprocessed, gmo-free, locally grown and/or fair trade
posts.Here's a great reference from Food Myths. We are trying to make a difference 1 recipe at a time!

If your post includes items like *margarine, *granulated sugar, *food dye, packaged baking mixed with ingredients that you cannot pronounce (betty crocker, duncan hines, pillsbury, bisquik, general mills) then it WILL be deleted.

Time to link up your Real Food posts! The party runs from Thursday at 7pm EST through Monday at Noon.

Do I have your attention? Good!Last night we had a semi-heated discussed on my PERSONAL facebook page. I highlight personal because I also have a blog/business facebook page, which is a bit less controversial. But hey, my personal fb acct is my business and my right to share controversial stuff if I so choose!

The topic was GMOs. I shared a nurse/farm wife fb status of her tour of the Monsanto facility in Hawaii. If you have followed me here for any length of time, you know that I am VERY anti-GMO and very outspoken about the harmful effects of pesticides on humans, animals and the plant.Apparently, this person didn't like comments made by my friends or myself and took it upon herself to tell us all we needed "less organic cherrios and more Jesus." She then proceeded to tell us all about the wonders of GMOs.First, NO ONE is going to tell me what I can and cannot say. I am very opinionated and have a whole lotta facts to back me up! Second, if all it would take were a few bitch-slaps to GMO farmers to get them to stop poisoning us then I would be the FIRST person in line to start the slapping.

Monsanto and other giant chemical companies spend Millions of dollars every year to promote the benefits of GMOs and their toxic pesticide counter-parts. They have hired full time bloggers, scientists and PR machines to convince people that it's okay to continue poisoning the earth while raking in the profits.

Let me also say this, it is not my job to judge. I make an effort every day to eat healthy and GMO free and sometimes I still consume not-so-healthy foods. Sometimes we go out for dinner or over to eat with family. No way am I going to be rude and turn away food just because it isn't completely free of GMOs.No one is perfect, especially not me. All I can do it give it 110%. That being said, it is my mission to EDUCATE every day and to everyone who will listen. Below are just a few educational articles to help you understand about the potential dangers of GMOs and their toxic pesticide counterparts.

In the U.S., GMOs are in as much as 80% of conventional processed food.

High-Risk Crops (in commercial production;
ingredients derived from these must be tested every time prior to use in
Non-GMO Project Verified products (as of December 2011):

New information in the updated report includes:

A review that is claimed by pro-GMO lobbyists to show
that 1,700 studies show GM foods are as safe in fact shows nothing of
the sort. Instead many of the 1,700 studies cited show evidence of risk.
The review also excludes or glosses over important scientific
controversies over GMO safety issues. (p. 102)

A review purportedly showing that GM foods are safe
on the basis of long-term animal studies in fact shows evidence of risk
and uses unscientific double standards to reach a conclusion that is not
justified by the data. (p. 161)

A laboratory study in human cells shows that very low
levels of glyphosate (the main chemical ingredient of Roundup
herbicide, which most GM crops are engineered to tolerate) mimicked the
hormone estrogen and stimulated the growth of breast cancer cells. The
level of glyphosate that had this effect was below the level allowed in
drinking water in Europe and far below the level allowed in the USA. It
was also below the level found in GM glyphosate-tolerant soy, which is
imported into Europe for animal feed and human food. If confirmed in
animal studies, this finding would overturn regulatory assumptions of
safe levels of glyphosate. (p. 221)

A rat feeding study led by Professor Gilles-Eric Séralini,
which found toxic effects from a GM maize and tiny amounts of the
Roundup herbicide it is grown with, was retracted by a journal editor
for unscientific reasons. Yet the study is far stronger and more
detailed than many industry studies that are accepted as proof of safety
for GMOs. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) had to reject the
study in order to protect its own previous opinions on this and other
GMOs, for reasons explained in the report. The findings of this study,
if confirmed, would overturn regulatory assumptions of safe levels of
glyphosate and Roundup. (pp. 94, 147)

Claims that an EU-funded research project shows GMOs are safe
are not evidence-based, since the project did not even test the safety
of any commercialized GMOs. Some animal testing data gathered by the
project actually reveal health risks from the GMOs tested. (p. 166)

Claims that Europe is becoming a “museum” of farming
because of its reluctance to embrace GM crops are shown to be
nonsensical by research showing that Europe’s mostly non-GM agriculture
out-yields the USA’s mostly GM agriculture with less pesticide use.
Instead, it is the GM-adopting USA that is falling behind Europe in
terms of productivity and sustainability. (pp. 232–233)

Risks from an important new type of GMO that is designed to silence genes are not being properly assessed by regulators. (p. 78)

Contrary to claims by GMO proponents, the real reason
GM golden rice isn’t available has nothing to do with anti-GMO
activists and everything to do with basic research and development
problems. (p. 197)

Crop genetics are only part of the solution to our
food and agriculture challenges. The other part is agroecological
farming methods that build soil and focus on growing a diversity of
naturally healthy and resilient crops. (p. 303)

When I first learned about GMOs I was super freaked out but then I got busy. I started growing a few things on my patio. When we moved, I made sure we had a yard to grow more food. I started Mary's Heirloom Seeds over 4 years ago. What started as a tiny non-gmo seed company has GROWN into an education center and go-to small business for organic growing.

I am thrilled and proud of the direction we are headed. My husband and I work very hard to help our community and our world grow organic.If you have additional questions about getting started or would like more info please feel free to ask. As always, I am happy to help.

If you'd like to check out some of our gardening tips, check out our fb page.

I know "Real" food may not seem like
as much fun as the sugary, chemically, DIY recipes out there on the
internet. This is why REAL Food Friday is so unique. This is the place
to share your unprocessed, gmo-free, locally grown and/or fair trade
posts.Here's a great reference from Food Myths. We are trying to make a difference 1 recipe at a time!

If your post includes items like *margarine, *granulated sugar, *food dye, packaged baking mixed with ingredients that you cannot pronounce (betty crocker, duncan hines, pillsbury, bisquik, general mills) then it WILL be deleted.

Time to link up your Real Food posts! The party runs from Thursday at 7pm EST through Monday at Noon.

Monday, February 16, 2015

So far, as expected, It's been loads of fun and hard work around here! In 14 days, we've managed to build 4 raised beds...fill them with dirt using a single wheelbarrow, plant several hundred heirloom seeds, AND managed to blog, ship seeds for Mary's Heirloom Seeds, SHARE our tutorial with friends & customers and have a great time.Oh ya, we also Unpacked boxes!!!

Last night was my sister's birthday. It was nice to get cleaned up and drive over to my Mom's for dinner and family time. It's been 8 years since I've been able to do this so I am over-the-moon excited!

I know "Real" food may not seem like
as much fun as the sugary, chemically, DIY recipes out there on the
internet. This is why REAL Food Friday is so unique. This is the place
to share your unprocessed, gmo-free, locally grown and/or fair trade
posts.Here's a great reference from Food Myths. We are trying to make a difference 1 recipe at a time!

If your post includes items like *margarine, *granulated sugar, *food dye, packaged baking mixed with ingredients that you cannot pronounce (betty crocker, duncan hines, pillsbury, bisquik, general mills) then it WILL be deleted.

Time to link up your Real Food posts! The party runs from Thursday at 7pm EST through Monday at Noon.

I know "Real" food may not seem like
as much fun as the sugary, chemically, DIY recipes out there on the
internet. This is why REAL Food Friday is so unique. This is the place
to share your unprocessed, gmo-free, locally grown and/or fair trade
posts.Here's a great reference from Food Myths. We are trying to make a difference 1 recipe at a time!

If your post includes items like *margarine, *granulated sugar, *food dye, packaged baking mixed with ingredients that you cannot pronounce (betty crocker, duncan hines, pillsbury, bisquik, general mills) then it WILL be deleted.

Time to link up your Real Food posts! The party runs from Thursday at 7pm EST through Monday at Noon.

I had this amazing idea for 365 days of DIY in 2015. And then we had the opportunity to MOVE and we JUMPED at the chance. So here's a sneak peak at our new homestead!

If you follow me on facebook, then you know that we spent 5 days on the road to get to our new place.

My sister and her family gave us this amazing welcome basket

As healthy as we eat at home, it was a complete SHOCK to our systems eating "road food" for 5 days. No biggie...We're detoxing in 1 more day. Why 1 more day? Our refrigerator arrives tomorrow and I plan on fixing the most amazing KALE SALAD ever!!!

About Me

You may have noticed that the price on food, especially produce has been going up.The quality, not to mention the nutritional value, has been suffering for quite a while.
Heirloom seeds or seeds that have been passed down for generations are
far hardier and as some studies suggest, have more nutritional value
than genetically modified (GMO) seeds.I don't sell
anything that I wouldn't grow in my own garden. All of the seeds
listed are un-treated, non-hybrid, open-pollinated, non-gmo, heirloom
seeds. Plants are grown using no chemicals.

Anyway, I
have been growing my own vegetables and besides the money they save me
the flavor is WAY better than the vegetables available at the
supermarket.It also makes me feel less dependent on the supply and I know what goes on my veggies.I
put together a few packages of seeds that seem to belong together and
the individual seeds are available also. Food prices are not going down
and growing your own food, especially heirloom veggies, is a great way
to save money and get more nutrition for your dollar. Happy planting,Mary